Community of Practice Enhances Understanding, Interest, and Commitment to Promoting Character Development in Camp Counselor-in-Training Programs

Background: Communities of practice (CoPs) create a “shared practice” through engaging in joint activities, information exchange, and mutual support around a common purpose. Few studies have assessed CoPs in experiential learning contexts such as camps. Purpose: In this instrumental case study, we examined the process and outcomes of a CoP initiative aimed at enhancing character development in medical specialty camp counselors-in-training programming. Method: Over two years, we recruited professionals from 12 camps to attend meetings, identify and define context-specific character strengths important for camp professionals, and collaboratively develop a toolkit to implement those character strengths in counselors-in-training. We assessed the implementation and effectiveness of the CoP to achieve project goals through facilitator notes, meeting recordings, researcher observations, surveys, and focus group data. Findings/Implications: CoPs can facilitate knowledge exchange, foster collaboration, and enhance character development efforts in camp counselors-in-training programming when supported by structured, ongoing engagement, especially of new CoP members. Key outcomes included an increased understanding of character strengths; greater interest in promoting character; and a stronger commitment to incorporating character in camp. Future research should collect more systematic quantitative and qualitative data about CoPs and their target outcomes to understand types and size of impacts resulting from this strategy.